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GSheets-Sheet 1.

I R. M. HOE & S. D. TUCKER. Sheet-Delivery Apparatus forPrinting-Machines.

Patented April 27, usso.

' INVENTDBS'.

W |TNE SEES.

. w y j 6 Sheets-Sheet 2. R. M. H038: S. D. TUCKER.

" Sheet-Delivery Apparatus for Printing-Madhines.

Fig. 6.

Nb, 226,916. Patented April 27,1880.

WITNESSES. I INVENTDRS. a ax/Qm Jzc/b'u 7/619 "+4 I 6 Sheets-Sheet 3. R.M. HOE & S. D. TUCKER.

Sheet-Delivery Apparatus for Printing-Machines.

NO. 226,916. Patented April 27,1880.

INN/ENTURS.

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6 Sheets-Sheet 4.

R. M. HOB & S..D'. TUCKER. Sheet-Delivery Apparatus forPrinting-Machines.

Patented April 21. 1880.

gyT ESSES. f INVENTEJHS.

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6Sheets-Sheet 5. R. M. HOE & S. D. TUCKER. Sheet-Delivery Apparatus forPrinting-Machines.

Patented April 27, i880.

WITNESSES. a/m M 6 Sheets-Shem; 6.

R. M. HOE & S. D. TUCKER. Sheet-Delivery Apparatus forPrinting-Machines.

No. 226,916. Patented April 27,1880. [2g 6 WITNESSES 4. INVENTDHS. 44%L/Q/Za: //4

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UNIT D STATES PATENT OFFIC RICHARD M. HOE AND STEPHEN I). TUCKER, OF NEWYORK, N. 'Y.

SHEET-DELIVERY APPARATUS FOR PRINTING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 226,916, dated April27, 1880.

Application filed July 19, 1879.

To all whomit may concern:

Be it known that we, :tIcHARD M. HOE and STEPHEN l). TUCKER, both ofthecity, county, and State of New York, ha\-'einvented certain new anduseful Improvements in Sheet-Delivery Apparatus for Printing-lllachinesand we do hereby declare that the following; specification, when takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, is such a full, clear, andexact description thereof as will enable others skilled in the art tomake and use the same. [u said drawings, Figure 1 represents, by a sideelevation, an apparatus embodying the said improvements, Fig. 2representing a plan view thereof, and Fig. 3 a longitudinal sec tionalelevation. Fig. 4 represents an arrangement of this delivery apparatuswith a printing-machine. .hig. 5 represents a complete embodiment ofsaid improvements. Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate modifications of thesheet-directing devices.

In consequence of the high speed at which the well-known web-perfectingprinting-machine is capable of operating and the great number of printedsheets it thus produces, it

is essential (if its maximum capacity is to beutilized or even a highspeed attained) that its sheet-delivery apparatus shall operate at alike speed.

Such a sheet-delivery apparatus constitutes the subjectmatter of thepresent invention, said apparatus bein so constructed as to equal incapacity the highest speed attainable by the printing-machine.

Its object is twotold+viz, to direct successive sheets into two, three,or more distinct channels or pathways, from whence they may either beconducted to a like iiumber of separate and distinct delivery-channels,or be conducted to a common delivery mechanism.

Theinvention embraces the (30lllbllltl-tl0ll,\Vll'/ll a mainsheet-conducting channel or pathway, of two, three, or more auxiliarysheet-conducting channels or pathways and a suitable nu n1- ber ofdevices for directing the sheets in sue cession into said auxiliarysheet-conducting channels or pathways.

It also includes an arrangement of such mechanisms wherein the auxiliarysheet-conducting channels or pathways lead to a commonconductiug-channel, whereby many sheets are associated together one uponanother and delivered in a single mass or body.

It further includes a novel construction of the sheet-directing deviceand various com binations of parts, hereinafter too fully set forth toneed further preliminary description.

Inasmuch as the structure of the web-perfecting printing-machine may beany wellknown, only that part of it is shown that is constituted by thecutting-cylimlcrs 4t) 50, which are provided with cutting devices, asthe blade 8 aml slot 9, whereby the printed web is divided into sheets,and though such cylinders are shown asconstituting a cutting mechanism,they may be simply cylinders delivering printed sheets. These cylinders40 50 are geared together by means of toothed wheels 18 19, and will bedriven from the printing-macliine by suitable connecting gearwheels.

The main conducting channel or pathway for the sheets emerging frombetween these cylinders 40 50 is constituted by a series of endlesstapes, 10, stretched over rollers 60 near said cylinders andover rollers80 located at a suitably-distant point. Above these tapes 10 are aseries of rollers properly arranged to guide endless tapes constitutingthe auxiliary sheet-guiding channels or pathways. ()ne of theseauxiliary channels or pathwi'tys is formed by endless tapes 11 runningover rollers and 22 and endless tapes 12 running over rollers 21 and 23.A second such channel or path-' way is formed by endless tapes 13running over rollers and 32 and endless tapes 14 running over rollers 3Land 33. A third such channel or pathway is formed by endless tapes 15running over rollers J0 and 92 and endless tapes 16 running over rollers91 and 93.

The rollers 60, and consequently the tapes 10, are driven by means of apinion, 70, (see Fig. 1,) on their shaft, and a driving toothed wheel,71, on the shaft of the cuttingcylinder 40, said pinion 70 being of sucha size relative to its driver (the toothed wheel 71) as to more thetapes 10 slightly faster than the cylinders run.

The shafts of the rollers 20, 30, and 90 are each provided withgear-wheels, as 72 73 7 4, and are driven in unison by their connectingintermediates 75 76,-andat a'speed uniform with that 2 l aeaonc oi'thetapes 10, by means of an intermediate, 77, of suitable size, whichmeshes with the pinion 72 and with the driving-wheel 71. on the shaft ofthe cylinder 40.

The endless tapes 11, 13, and 15, running over the rollers 20 30 90,drive the rollers 22, 32, and 92, which latter, by means of gearwheels81 82 S3 and 84 85 86, rotate the rollers 23 33 93 to-drive the tapes 1214 16, which in turn properly rotate the rollers 21 31 91, so that auniform speed in the proper direction is imparted to the several tapes.

It will be observed that the rollers 20 30 90 run nearly in contact withthe tapes 10, (they might be in contact with them,) and that the rollers21 31 91, in consequence of the direction of their motion, are raisedconsiderably above said tapes and out of contact with them.

Any other system of gearing may be adopted so long as the tapes all runin unison in the proper directions and with like surface speed. Thearrangement of these tapes and their actuating-rollers is such that thewhole delivery apparatus runs with a speed slightly faster than that ofthe cylinders 40 50, whereby the surface speed imparted to the sheets bythe tapes shall be sufficiently increased be yond that imparted to themby the cylinders 40 50 to separate successive sheets a distance apart,so as to prevent their interference with each other and permit theirbeing properly directed into different channels or pathways.

The entrance-point of, each of the auxiliary channels or pathways isprovided with a sheetdirecting device which" is capable of being broughtinto operation at the proper time to directa sheetinto said auxiliarychannel or pathway. This sheet-directing device may have variousconstructions. It niiay'be constituted by pulleys, as 24 25 26, whichare arranged in sets so as to turn freely on studs, as 1 2 3, whichpulleys occupy vertical planes alternatingwith those occupied by thetapes 10. The studs 1 2 3 of these pulleys 24 25 26 are carried in arms51 52 53, fast upon rock-shafts, as 45 '6,"to which motion isimpa-rtedby rockarm's, as 54 55 56, and connecting-rods, as 57 58 59, that areappropriately reciprocated by means of cams, as 61, fast upon aproperlyrota-ted shaft, as that carrying the' toothed wheel 62, which isdriven by a pinion, 63, on the shaft of the cylinder 50. These pulleys,when held in the position occupied by those marked 25 26 in Fig. 3, arebelow the upper plane in which the tapes 10 run, and consequently do notaflect the onward movement of ,the sheet in the main channel or pathway;but when vibrated into the position occupied by that marked 24 in saidfigure they intercept the sheet traveling in said main channel orpathway and direct it into an auxiliary channel or pathway, such as thatforme by the tapes 11 12.

The sheet-directing device may have the form of a. switch, as 34 3536,(see Fig. 6,) which is provided with meansfor automatically rocking iton its shaft, so as to hold it inthe position which that marked 34 hasin Fig. 6-that isto say, with its point within the peripheral line ofthe rollers or pulleys 30-so as to direct a sheet traveling in the mainchannel or pathway onward therein, or so as to hold it in the positionshown by 36 in said figurethat is to say, with its point projected belowthe plane occupied by the tapes 10--when its face will be concentricwith the surface of the rollers or pulleys 90, so as to intercept thesheet traveling in the main channel or pathway and direct said sheetinto the auxiliary channel or pathway formed by the tapes and 16. Theseswitches, while described as a unit, will, of course, consist of severalmembers fixed at proper distances apart, each set, as 34, 35, and 36,being so constructed, and so that their individual members shall playinto the spaces provided between the tapes 10 and into grooves cut intothe peripheries of the rollers 90, or in the spaces between pulleys, ifpulleys are used in place of said rollers. These switches are suitablyrocked, and at proper intervals, by means of connectingrods, such as therods 57 58 59, and suitable cams, as the cams 61, fixed upon the shaftcarrying the wheel 62 or any other properly-rotated shaft. Thesesheet-directingdevices may be constituted by blast-pipes, as 94 95 96,Fig. 7, which pipes, located at proper points and connected with a blastapparatus having suit-a ble automatically-operated controlling-valves,may, at the proper time, emit a blast of air against the leading end ofthe sheet traveling in the main channel or pathway, and thus force itagainst and cause it to follow'the periphery of one of the rollers orset of pulleys 20, 30, or 90, and thus be conducted into the properauxiliary channel or pathway, as 11 12, 13 14, 15 16, and when thisblast apparatus is used similarly constructed and operated blastpipes,as 97 98 99, may perform the function, at the proper time, of preventingthe sheet from following the periphery of either of the rollers or. setof pulleys 20 30 90 and compel it to follow the tapes 10 of the mainconducting channel or pathway.

In Figs. 1, 2, 3, 6, and 7 the delivery apparatus is shown as arrangedquite close to the cylinders 50, which arrangement economizes space.

With the mechanisms thus arranged sheetconducting guides, as the curvedbars 13, may be provided to guide the sheet up to the roller 20, andsimilar bars 14 to guide the sheet from the cylinder to and between theroller and bars 13. These bars 13 may at one end extend into narrowgrooves 7 in the cylinder 40, the cutting blade of which is properlynicked to pass said bars, and at the other endextend into similargrooves in the periphery of the rollers 20, and the bars 14 may extendat one end into shallow grooves 15 in the cylinder 50, and have theirother ends protruded into similar grooves in the periphery of therollers 60. When pulleys are used instead of .rollers the rear ends ofthese bars 13 14 will exoperate to cause the sheets passing up over therollers or pulleys 60 to follow the tapes 10, and so be carried into themain sheet channel or pathway.

The mechanisms being in operation andin the positions shown in Fig. 3,the first sheet emerging from the cylinders 50 will enter the mainchannel or pathway, whence itwill be directed into the tapes 11 12 by.the first sheetdirecting device, as the pulley 24, switch 34, orblast-pipe 94, the same having been put into operation, and thus becaused to travel in the first auxiliary sheet-conducting channel orpathway. As soon as it has fairly entered, and is within the controloforjust beforeits tail end enters said auxiliary channel or pathway, thesaid sheet-directing device is reversed that is, it is so operated as tocause the next incoming sheet to follow or continue in the main channelor pathway. The second sheetdirecting device, as the pulley 25, theswitch 35, or blast-pipe 95, now being put into operation, causes saidsecond sheet to enter and travel in the second auxiliary channel orpathway constituted by the tapes 13 14. When this is accomplished thesaid directing device is reversed, so that ,the third incoming'sheet maytravelon in the main channel or pathway and be similarly operated uponby the third sheet-directin g device, as the pulley 26, switch 36, orblast-pipe 96, and be thereby caused to enter and travel in the thirdauxiliary channel or pathway formed by the tapes 15 16. Thisaccomplished, said sheet-directing device is reversed, as beforedescribed, with reference to the first and second sheet-directin gdevices,

so that the fourth incoming sheet may travel in and be delivered fromthe main channel or pathway, its exit from which maybe aided by pulleys,as 68, (the shaft of which will be geared with and driven by the shaftof the pulleys S0,) or by a blast-pipe, as 69. The next successive foursheets will be delivered in like manner. From the delivery ends of theseauxiliary or the main channel or pathway the sheets may be conveyed bysuitable means, as tapes or other conductors, to a piling mechanism, asa fly-frame, or to any other common delivery mechanism, whiclrmay, as isapparent from the numbcrof sheets thus slowly delivered from each ofsaid channels or pathways, beoperated quite slowly as compared with :the

speed at which such sheets are produced and delivered by theprinting-machine. This apparatus for separating successive sheets anddelivering them at diti'erent points thus provides a means for disposingof the sheets with great rapidity, considered as a whole, and at thesame time enables said sheets to he manipulated singly byslowly-opin-atingmechanisms.

In the practical application of this sheetdelivery mechanism to aprinting machine it may be situated a distance from the cuttingcylinders, as in Figs. 4 and 5, in which case the tapes 10 11. may runfrom small pulleys or rollers 66 67, mounted in front of thecuttingcylindcrs 40 50, the tapes 10 then running. from the roller 66over the roller 60, thence over the roller 80, and thence over a roller,78, part of said tapes 10 running only from rollers to 80, if desired,as in Fig. 4. The tapes 11 are in like manner extended to run from therollers 67 over the rollers 60, thence under rollers 20, and finallyreturning to said roller 67.

In the arrangements shown in Figs. 4 and 5 proper rotative movements areimparted to the mechanisms of the delivery apparatus from the toothedwheel 71 on the shaft of cut- The delivery apparatus shown in Fig. 4 isa duplication of that illustrated in Fig. 3. Said delivery apparatusmay, however, be arranged so that each of its auxiliary channels orpathways shall, together with the main channel or pathway, have a commondelivery-point, whereby as many sheets as there are channels or pathwaysmaybe received in succession from the printing-machine and be associatedtogether and delivered as a sin glepack or body. This is illustrated inFi 5, where the delivery apparatus is arranged so that its tapes .11 runfrom the rollers 67 to the pulleys 20,

thence up. over rollers 41, thence to rollers 42, thence down overrollers 68, around which they return to said pulleys 67 over rollers 43and 44. The companion series of tapes 12 run from the rollers 21 overthe rollers 41 and 42 and return to the pulleys 21 over pulleys 45. Thetapes 13 run from the rollers 30into contact with rollers 46 and returnover pulleys 45 to the rollers 30. Their companion series of tapes 14run from the rollers 31 upover the rollers 46 and return under rollers47 and over rollers 48 to the rollers 31. The tapes 15 run from therollers 90 into contact with rollers 49 and return to the rollers 90around the rollers 48. Their companion series of tapes 16 run from therollers 91 to and return around the rollers 49. The series of tapes 1114 and their adjuncts.

10 11 thus constitute a long pathway, which is formed in part by thetapes 14 16 and guides 37 3S, bridging the spaces between the rollers 4246 and 47 49.

The series of tapes 13 14 constitute a pathway of less length than thatjust described, but which has its delivery therein-namely, over therollers 46.

The series :of tapes 1;") 16 constitute a still shorter pathway, havingits delivery over the rollers 49 in the pathway formed by the tapes Themain channel or pathway remains as before deseri bed, though its extremeend may be partiallyconstituted by the peculiar form of t he tailsot'the switches 36, as shown in Fig. 6. As shown in Fig. 5, however, oneside of these switches coacts with the roller 80. and their sides orfaces coact with the tapes 11 in forming a continuous channel or pathwayfor the sheets.

The sheet-directing devices may be of either form shownviz., rollers,switches, or blastpipes-as before explained.

The final delivering apparatus may be of any common form. As here shownitis a fiy-frame, 100, of the vibrating type, down before which thesheets are carried by the endless tapes 10. The first sheet emergingfrom the cylinders 50 and entered into the main channel or pathway willbe directed into the first auxiliary channel or pathvmyt'ormed by thetapes 1.1 13,

and travel thereinE-IThe next succeeding or second sheet will bedirected into the second auxiliar channel or pathway formed by the tapes1314. The next succeeding or third sheet will be directed into the thirdauxiliary channel or pathway formed by the tapes 15 16, and the nextsucceeding or fourth sheet will be caused to travel directly through themain channel or pathway. Thencxtsucceedingfoursheetswill be directed inthe same manner. As the head of the first sheet arrives at the rollers46 the head of the second sheet will be passing over them, so that thetwo sheets will be laid one upon the other, the first sheet lying uponthe second, and the two will together move down toward the rollers 49.As their heads reach this roller the head of the third sheet will bepassing over them, and the first and second sheets will thus be laidupon the third sheet, and the three will pass together down toward therollers 68 80. As they reach this point the fourth sheet will be passingover said roller 80,

and the first, second, and third sheets will be vibrating tly-frame 100.

By throwing one or more of the sheet-directin g devices'out of actionand properlytiming the operation of the others packs of sheets less innumber than four may be delivered.

The various tape-conducting rollers might, of course, be series ofpulleys suitably arranged upon shafts, as isindicated in Fig. 6. In suchcase the pulleys 24 25 26 and the pulleys 21 31 91 will occupy the samevertical planes. If switches 34 35 36 are used, their points may vibratebetween said pulleys and to points within and without the peripherallines of the pulleys 20 30 90 and 21 31 91 and 68 80, and in such casethe forward ends of the bars 13 14 will extend between the pulleys 60.

What is claimed is 1. The combination, with a main sheet-conductingchannel or pathway, of two or more auxiliary sheet-comlucting channelsor pathways leading therefrom. having independent points of delivery,and a corresponding number of sheet-directin g devices, substantially asdescribed.

2. The combination, with a main sheet-conducting channel or pathway, oftwo or more auxiliar Y sheet-cohducting channels or pathways, all ofwhich have a common point of delivery, and a corresponding number ofsheetdirecting devices, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the main sheet-conducting channel and one ormore auxiliary channels or path ways formed by tapes leading from saidmain channel, of a corresponding number of vibrating sheetdirectingrollers co-operatiug therewith, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

RIOHI). M. HOE. STEPHEN D. TUCKER.

Witnesses F. W. H. CRANE,

CHAS. W. CARPENTER.

